NBA Rumors: Lakers trading Russell Westbrook appears more likely now

NBA Rumors: After acquiring Patrick Beverley, it seems that trading Russell Westbrook before training camp appears more likely for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Now that the big fish are pretty much off the board for the Los Angeles Lakers, they finally seem ready to seriously build out the rest of the roster ahead of the start of training camp. They open in roughly a month and the Lakers still have some figuring out to do as it pertains to their roster.

And we saw the start of that when they acquired Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz in exchange for Stanley Johnson and Talen Horton-Tucker. It was a start but seemed like a potential smaller-type deal compared to the big one that the team needs to make before the start of camp.

Why a Russell Westbrook trade is more likely now

Mostly because the big one everyone is expecting them to make revolves around Russell Westbrook. And according to a recent report, it seems that the addition of Beverley makes a Westbrook trade now more likely before the start of training camp.

That makes sense. Beverley, for everything he isn’t, is a starting caliber point guard still. He may not be the offensive player that would help LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but he is a pest on the defensive side of the floor and can score when called upon.

He is coming off a season in which he averaged nine points, five assists, and four rebounds on 41 percent shooting from the field. His presence will be something that is felt both on the court and inside the locker room for the Lakers.

If the Lakers wanted to trade Russ for the sake of trading him now, it would be OK. They have a starter if they need it at the position. Though, the acquisition of Beverley also allows the Lakers to trade Russ for another area of need.

For example, if the Lakers want to want Russ for a shooter and a big, they could do it. They don’t necessarily NEED to get a point guard in exchange.

It was always going to be viewed as surprising if the Lakers entered training camp with Russ on the roster. Even more so now that Los Angeles has made a move for Beverley.